Radiator ribbon forming machine



Nov. 26, 1940. s. VPRZYBOROWSKI 2,223,296

RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1959 7 Sheejs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR \fifamlslaus pr yborowalli ATTORNEY 7 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1939 INVENTOR J/ams/aua Pgybarama/fl' BY E ATTol j zEY Nov. 26, 1940. s. PRZYBOROWSKI RADIATOR RIBBON FORMII IG MACHINE Filed May 1, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 I NVENTO R fifamQs/aua Pqybamam ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1940- s. PRZYBOROWSKI RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 6TANI5LAU3 PRzvaoRowsm E if ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1940. s. PRZYBOROWSK I 3 RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE I Filed May 1, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY 0- s. PRZYBOROWSKI RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE Filed May 1, 1959 '7 Sheet s-Sheet 6 INVENTOR fibmlshua ryybomufiki ATTORNEY 1940- s. PRZYBOROWSKI 2 3 RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 1, 1939 I ENVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,223,296 RADIATOR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE Stanislaus Przyborowski, Tonawanda, N. Y., M-

signor to Fedders Manufacturing Company,

Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application May 1, 1939, Serial No. 271,041

8 Claims. (Cl. 113-1) This invention relates to a machine for forming joints in'radiator ribbons.

In preparing the ribbon elements of a cellular radiator core for final assembly, it has heretofore been deemed necessary to perform the several joint forming operations in manually controlled and operated bending fixtures. This practice has not only curtailed effective production, but has caused occasional damage to the ribbons because of the dimculties of handling repeatedly these relatively fragile elements. In smaller cores, such as those in automobile heaters, these difliculties have been increased, because the short strips of ribbon cannot be handled and formed without interfering with the bending mechanisms.

In the present machine it is proposed to form the ribbon joint structures simultaneously, and with the aid of automatically operated fixtures,

thus eliminating the dangers of several manual handlings, and the uncertainties of human supervision. The machine is additionally devised for a wide range of adjustment, so that ribbons of any length may be formed with equal effectiveness.

The present invention moreover provides for the combination, with the necessary ribbon folding, holding, and die means, of control and safety mechanism for insuring the operation of the machine elements in a proper sequential order, thereby making it possible to form thecomplete ribbon in one machine, and substantially as one operation. Other features and advantages will 35 become apparent as this description of a typical embodiment proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a radiator ribbon in its pro-formed state;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the ribbon after it is bent and joined in the present machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken through the interlocking joint of the ribbon;

45 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the machine;

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged cross sections taken on the lines 5-5, 6-6, 'l-l, and 88 of Fig. 1. In several of these views, the mechanisms 50 which would have appeared in the background have been omitted, to prevent confusion,

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are enlarged longitudinal sections through the die units of the machine,

55 showing the progressive bending operations;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary section on a the line l3-l3 of Fig. 5.

A typical water tube ribbon R is shown in Fig. 1, where it will be observed that it is originally supplied in straight lengths having corrugations 5 l9 and flattened extremities 2| and 3|. After undergoing the forming operation in the present machine, the ribbon appears as a water tube section or outer, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is folded centrally to form two parallel legs 20 and 10 30, connected at their free extremities 2| and 3| in an interlocking joint 0. In the formation of the joint 0 (Fig. 3), sections 23, 33 of the extremities 2| and 3! are bent laterally inward, and their terminals 2d, 34 are bent back in mutual 5 interlocking engagement.

The median or folded portion of the ribbon constitutes what is termed the closed end header 0, and it will be observed that the corrugations iflafloriginally formed thereon, are flattened as 29 noted as 26, 27 and it, ill respectively.

The machine includes die units l0 and lil (Fig. 4), which serve to form the joints 0 and C respectively, and such units are mounted on the surface of a large base plate d2 supported on legs 43. The motive and main control units 3Q it and it of the machine are disposed beneath the plate 52.

The die units ill and M are provided with die shoes 66 and 41 (Figs. 5 and 10), which serve as mounting means for several of the die com- 35 ponents of their respective units. The former shoe 66 is rigidly secured to the base plate d2, while the shoe Bl caaries keys 68 which engage in longitudinal keyways E9 in the plate 42. Thus, the shoe ll and remaining portions of the unit 6|, as will presently be more apparent, are adjustable to any desired fixed position relative to the unit as. This permits the machine to beadjusted to form ribbons R- of any length. For example, in Fig. 4 the unit M is positioned to form short water tube, sections, which later may be assembled into an automobile heater core.

The shoe W of the unit it carries a lower or fixed jig 50, which is suitably serrated, as indicated by the numeral St, to receive the lower leg 30 of the ribbon R in the first step of the operation. The shoe 41 is grooved transversely to form slide bearings 52 for receiving laterally movable jigs 53. Referring momentarily to the fixed unit at (Fig. 6) it will be observed that it is supplied 55 I with a similar fixed jig 50a and identical laterally movable jigs 580.

After the leg 30 of the ribbon is manually placed on the jigs 50, 50a, as shown in Fig. 4, the jig pairs 53, 58a are brought together simultaneously to cover and hold the terminal portions of the ribbon leg 30 (Fig. 10). The mechanism for effecting this movement consists of a pair of shafts 54, 54a, rotatably carried in depending bearing brackets 55 beneath the plate 42. Pairs of levers 58 are secured to each shaft, and they project upward through suitable slots 42a and 58b in the overlying bed plate and die shoe structures, and enter holes 51, 51a. in the movable jigs 58, 58a. The shafts are operated by a pedal 58 which carries a link 59, which link in turn is connected to levers 5| on the shafts 54, 54a. It will be apparent that when the pedal 58 is depressed, the levers 58 will be moved toward the median line of the machine, and accordingly the accompanying iig pairs 53, 53a will be brought into abutting relation upon the lower ribbon leg 80. The shafts 54, 541: are supplied with a third set of levers 52 (Fig. 6) which are formed with hook extremities 82a for receiving the ends of a tension spring 88. This arrangement provides for spring return of the jigs 53. 53a to the open position of Figs. 5 and 6 when the pedal 58 is released.

After the jig pairs 53. 53a are closed upon the ribbon, a bending die 50 on the unit 4| is manually operated to bend the ribbon upon it medial portion about the end face of the jigs 53 and to superimpose the legs 20 and 30 in such manner that the flattened extremity 2| is positioned im mediately above the extremity Si in the other unit 40. The manually operated bending die is formed with projecting knuckles 85 carrying hinge pins 86, 6'! (Fi s. and which are rotatably received in bearings 88 in the shoe 41. The pin 08 projects to the front of the machine. where it is formed with a handle portion 09. The die 60 is also su plied with a projecting light wei ht grid I0 which supports the ribbon le before the bending operation (Fig. 1) It will be observed that the die 50 is formed with transverse serrations 60a which match the corrugations I 0 of the ribbon.

The unit 40 is provided with an upper or holding jig 'II which, in the subsequent and final manual operation. is brought into the position shown in Fi 10. where it covers the end of the ribbon leg 20. This ji consists of a block which is secured to an arm I2 (Fla. 6) which in turn is secured to a control shaft I3. A handle 141 on the arm 12 permits the operator to swing jig II into position on the ribbon le 20. and additionally to actuate the shaft I8 which. as will presently be explained. actuates the controls for the automatic cycle of bending operations.

The motive unit 44 includes a cam carriage I5. which is carried for longitudinal sliding movement in a pair of depending rectilinear bearings 11, I8, which bearings aresecured beneath the base plate 42. An air cylinder 80 is secured to the right hand leg 43; and its piston rod 8| is connected to the extremity of the carriage 16' by a suitable fitting 82. The operation of the piston 80a of the cylinder is controlled by a valve unit 83, which is secured to the left hand leg 43 (Fig. 9). lever 84 which operates suitable valve instrumentalities (not shown) for connecting a high pressure air line 85 to either the right or left The valve unit is supplied with a control hand piston chamber through pipes 88, 81 respectively.

The active or left hand stroke of the piston 80a is instigated through clockwise movement of the valve lever 84, which lever is operated by the closing movement of the jig arm I2 through an intermediate lever system (Fig. 9).. The control shaft I3, which is rotatably mountedin bearings 88, carries a collar 80 on its left hand extremity in which a finger 80 is secured. The base plate 42 is slotted at 92 to receive a lever 08, which is pivotally mounted in a stud 94 in an adjacent bearing 95. The upper end of the lever 03 receives the bifurcated end of a pawl 95 which is pivotally carried on a stud 01. The pawl is formed with an angular cam surface I00 on its free extremity. The end of the lever 93 is rounded, as indicated by the numeral 98, so that the is rocked by the arm I2, the finger 90 engages the cam surface I00 of the pawl 96, thus causin a partial counter-clockwise rotation of the lever 98, and the resultant movement of the lever 84 to the full line position of Fig. 9.

As the cam carriage I8 nears the end of'its movement to the left, a plate I04 on its extremity strikes the control lever 04 and restores it to its first position. This reverses the'air cylinder operation, and the carriage is immediately returned to its starting position.

A pedestal I05 is secured to the carriage l6, and its upper portion extends through a longitudinal slot I06 in the base plate 42. The upper surface I0I of the pedestal is serrated transversely to receive a forming head I08, which head is provided with complementary serrations I09. Screws III secure the head I08 in position, and it will be understood that the pedestal is provided with numerous tapped holes so that the head may be moved to various positions.

Secured to the head I08 are a pair of projecting cams II2, a spaced single cam H3, and a medially disposed rectilinear hammer II4. Referring to Figs. 5 and 10, it will be seen that the bending die 60 and jig 50 carry opposed crimping dies H5 and H6 respectively. These dies are loosely mounted at their extremities in slides iI5a, IIIia respectively, which slides are secured to the die 50 and die shoe 41 respectively. It will be seen in Fig. 11 that as the carriage I5 moves to the left, the cams H2, H3 thrust the dies H5, H6 toward each other to effect a flatteningof the outer sides of the corrugations I01: and the convergence of the crests thereof. Immediately after this action, the hammer die H4 strikes the angular/faces of the dies H5, H6 and restores them to their original positions. The hammer then strikes the corrugations I91: and flattens them to complete the header C (Fig. 12). During this operation, the lower cams enter clearance slots I I8 in the jig block 50.

Secured to the carriage are cams I20, I2I (Fig. 4) which engage movable elements for forming the header joint 0. The cam I20 is formed with two spaced transverse lobes I22, I23, while the cam I2I is formed with a lobe I24 and an abutment I25. A bell crank I26 is operated by the cam I20, and it is pivotally mounted on a stud I21, which stud is carried by a bearing bracket I30 which is pivotaliy'mounted on a stud I3I. The pawl is formed with an angular surface I30a,

whichcontacts the terminal I29a when the pawl is engaged from" the left. The remaining arm I33 of the bell crank I26 is formed with a rectilike die I34 anda cam I35. A spring I32 retains the bell crank in its open position.

A bearing I36 is secured to the lower side of the plate 42, and it is slotted to receive a lever I31, which lever is mounted on a pivot pin I38. The upper arm of the lever I31 projects through the slot H611, and its terminal is notched as indicated by the numeral I39. The notched end of the lever enters a slotted head I40, where it engages a transverse pin "I which is secured in the head (Figs. 4 and 12). The head is formed with gibs I42, which are received in spaced slides I42a secured to the plate 42 (Fig. '7). A pair of wedge-like cams I40'a project from the head I40.

The die structure, which cooperates with the bell crank I26 and head mechanism, consists of a die block I44 (Figs. 7 and 10) which normally rests on the base plate 42, but which may be lifted vertically against the end faces of the shoe 46 and fixed jig 50a. Guide plates I45 secured to the jig'a serve to position the block I44 loosely against the end faces. A hinged die element I46 is formed with a cylindrical terminal I41. which is received in a complementary socket I48 in the block I44. The upper end of the element I46 is provided with an angular extension I5I which projects over the surface I44a of the block I44. Spaced cam lobes I50 are formed on the extension I 5I. A compression spring I46a normally retains the element I46 in an open posi- 0 tion, as shown in Fig. 10.

j In operation, during the left hand or active stroke of the carriage 16, the lobe I22 of cam I20 engages the pawl I30 of the bell crank I26 to initiate the automatic cycle of bending operations. As the bell crank is rotated, the die I34 thereon engages the projecting extremity 2I of the ribbon leg 20 and bends it downward upon the end face of the jig pairs 53a. The underlying extremity 3| of the ribbon leg 30, which rests upon the die extension I5I, is next engaged, and its terminal 34 is turned upward, with the forward edge of the extension I5I acting as a fulcrum. The hinged die element I46 is properly positioned during this operation by the cam I35 55 (Fig. 10).

As the cam lobe I22 passes out of contact, the bell crank opens slightly, as shown in Fig. 11, and as the cam I35 passes the cam lobe I50 of the hinged die element I46, the element is swung inward, and the ribbon terminal 34 is accordingly contacted and bent into an acute angle. The succeeding lobe I23 of cam I20 next engages the bell crank and repeats the described movement, so that the terminal is flattened upon the underlying ribbon joint sections.-

The abutment I25 of the cam I2I in the succeeding operation strikes the lever I31 and swings it clockwise, thus causing the accompanying head I40 to be moved rapidly to the right. During this movement the cams I40a of the head engage under and raise the die block I44, so that the joint structure is bent upon itself, as shown in Fig. 12. The forward surface of the head, as indicated by the numeral I407), strikes the raised block I44 almost immediately, and the impact is sufliciently severe to flatten the joint in a tight leak-proof structure.

The control lever 84 of the air cylinder is tripped immediately after the last described operation, and the carriage is thereupon reversed and caused to move toward its starting position. During reverse movement, the lobe I24 of cam I 2| engages the end of the lever I31 and moves it and the accompanying block I40 to their initial positions. Simultaneously, a pawl I55, mounted on the head I08, engages a stud I56 (Fig. 10) on the bending die 60 of the unit M and automatically opens the die. The pedal 58 is now released to open the jig pairs 53, 53a, and the completed water tube ribbon is removed from the machine.

Various safety devices are incorporated in the machine structure to prevent premature operation of the automatic instrumentalities, which might endanger the operator or cause damage to the dies. It will be observed in Figs. 8 and 9 that the shaft 54 of the pedal mechanism carries an arm I60, which arm swings into an obstructive position against the lever 33 when the jig pairs are in their open position. Thus, the arm 12, which starts the automatic operation, cannot be moved downward, and accordingly the control lever 84 of the air cylinder cannot be operated unless the jig pairs 53, 53a are closed.

The control lever 84, after being manually closed, is firmly held against opening movement during the active stroke by a safety mechanism I6I (Figs. 6 and 7). This mechanism consists of a bell crank'I62 which is mounted for pivotal movement on a bearing I63 beneath the plate 42. The bell crank is a two-part structure formed of arms I64, I65 having a common pivot pin I66 and united for limited relative movement by a pin and slot connection I 61. An interposed spring I68 retains the arms in spaced relation. The lower arm I65 carries a cam roller I10, which is engageable by a cam I'II secured to the side of the carriage 16. The remaining arm I64 is provided with an insert I12. The control shaft carries an arm I13 having a projecting finger I14 which is so proportioned that when the control lever 64 is closed, the finger enters a slot I'I6in the base plate 42. In moving forward, the carriage cam I'II engages the roller I10, and swings the bell crank upward so that the insert I12 of the arm I64 engages the finger I14 and thus holds the shaft 13 against displacement. The spring connection between the arms I64, I65 absorbs the shock of the cam impact, and prevents damage to the mechanism.

Similarly, the motive unit may not be operated unless the bending die 60 of the unit 4| is properly closed. This safety device I15 is shown in Figs. 5 and 13, and it comprises a plunger I 86 mounted for transverse movement in a slide I11 on the shoe 41. A cam I18 is secured to the adjacent portion of the shaft 13, and it is formed with a lobe I19. The proximate end of the plunger I86 is supplied with apawl I8I, which is pivoted thereto as indicated by the numeral I82. The plunger carries a spring I83 which engages a pin I84, and thus constantly urges the plunger to the right. When the shaft 13 is rotated by manual operation of the control arm 12, the cam moves the plunger to the right, and, assuming the bending die 60 has been carelessly left in an open position, the lefthand end I80 of the plunger immediately engages the die, and the operator is unable to complete the closing operation. When the die is properly closed, the plunger end I80 finds no opposition to the cam operated movechines. These ment, and it is first thrust to the left in a detector movement, and then, as the cam lobe I19 passes the pawl IBI, the plunger is permitted to spring back into an unobstructive position.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the machine of the present invention permits of the rapid formation of a length of radiator core ribbon into a continuous, folded, and joined unit, with the folds or joints at each end of the section being made as substantially a single operation. In this respect, the present invention simplifies the work of making up the ribbons, and is therefore an advance over the prior art, as typified by machines such as those shown in the J. M. Fedders Patent No. 1,226,490, patented May 15, 1917, or in my own prior Patent, No. 2,102,573, patented December 14,1937. My improvements therefore in part comprise the provision of the necessary ribbon bending, holding, and forming elements into a unitary machine assembly, with the provision of instrumentalities which insure and enforce their actuation in a proper sequence to convert the discrete length into a core unit without removing the work from the machine, or employing two separate maimprovements, together with others defining the novel features of my invention, I shall now set forth in more detail in the appended claims, it being understood, of course, that such claims are not intended to be restricted to the specific elements herein described by way of illustration, but to include such modifications and variations as are within the principles hereof.

I claim: a

1. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons, including jig means adapted to receive a length of radiator ribbon to be formed, movable holding means for folding the ribbon upon itself and to hold the ribbon in such folded position, means for holding the free ends of the ribbon in juxtaposition, die means for bending and joining the free ends of the ribbon in an interlocking joint, other die means associated with said movable holding means for forming and flattening the folded portion of the ribbon, movable means for actuating both of said die means simultaneously,

and control means for enforcing the operation of the bending, holding, and die means as sequential operations.

2. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base, a die unit on the base having movable die elements for uniting the ends of a ribbon in an interlocking joint, a second die unit mounted on the base in spaced relation to said first unit and having movable die elements adapted; to form aclosed end joint in the ribbon, bending means on said last die unit for folding the ribbon upon itself, jig means on said first unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition, automatic means for operating-the movable die elements of both units simultaneously, and control means for enforcing the operation of the bending, holding, and die means as sequential operations.

3. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base, a die unit on the base having movable die elements for uniting the ends of the ribbon in an interlocking joint, a second die unit mounted on the base in spaced relation to said first unit and having movable die elements adapted to form a closed end joint in a, ribbon, bending means on said last die unit for folding a ribbon upon itself, jig means on the first unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition, automatic means for operating the movable die elementsof both units simultaneously, control means for said automatic means operatively connected to said jig means, and means conditioning said control means for operation, said last named means being controlled by operation of said bending means.

4. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base having secured thereon a pair of spaced die units each having a plurality of movable joint forming die elements, bending means on one unit for folding a ribbon upon itself, jig means on the remaining unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition, a cam carriage, means beneath the base for mounting the carriage for sliding movement, power means for reciprocating said carriage, arms secured to the carriage for operating said movable die elements, and control means for said power means associated with said jig means.

5. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base having secured thereon a pair of spaced die units each having a plurality of movable joint forming die elements, manually operable bending means on one unit for folding a ribbon upon itself, movable jig means on the remaining unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition in' the dies thereof, cam means for operating said die elements simultaneously, power means for motivating said cam means, a control lever for said power means, and a mechanism operated by and during movement of said jig means for actuating said control lever.

6. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base having secured thereon a pair of spaced die units each having a plurality of joint forming die elements, a hinged manually operable die on one unit for folding a ribbon upon itself, jig means on the remaining unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition in the dies thereof, a cam carriage, means beneath the base for mounting the carriage for sliding movement, cams secured to the carriage for operating said movable die elements, fiuid actuated means for reciprocating said carriage, a control lever for said fluid actuated means connected for operation in one direction by said jig means, and said lever being movable in a reverse direction by engagement of said carriage therewith.

'7. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base having secured thereon a pair of spaced die units each having a plurality of movable joint forming die elements, bending means on one unit for folding a ribbon upon itself, jig means on the remaining unit for receiving and holding the free ends of the folded ribbon in juxtaposition, a cam carriage, means beneath the base for mounting the carriage for sliding movement, power means for reciprocating said carriage, cams secured to the carriage for operating said movable die elements, hammers operated by the carriage for impacting the joints after formation by the dies, and control means for said power means associated with said jig means.

8. A forming mechanism for radiator ribbons comprising a base having secured thereon a pair of spaced die units each having a plurality of movable joint forming die elements, pedal operated jigs on each unit for positioning one leg of a ribbon, a manually operable bending die on one unit for folding the remaining leg upon the first leg, manually movable jig means on the remaining unit for holding the free end of the folded leg in juxtaposition on the end of the first 1eg,

cam means for operating said die elements simultaneously, power means for motivating the cam means, a control instrumentality for said power means operated by said manually operable jig means, and detector means organized with said pedal operated jigs and said manually operable bending die for forestalling operation of 5 said control instrumentality when such elements are not in operative position.

STANISLAUS PRZYBOROWSKI. 

